U.S. FAA advises passengers not to turn on Galaxy Note 7 phones in flight

Reuters

Reuters

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Airline passengers should not turn on or charge their Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Galaxy Note 7 smartphones during flights or stow them in checked baggage, due to concerns over the phone's fire-prone batteries, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said.

In a statement on Thursday, the FAA said it "strongly advises" passengers to follow its guidance "in light of recent incidents and concerns raised by Samsung about its Galaxy Note 7 devices."

The South Korean manufacturer announced last week it was recalling all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones equipped with batteries it has found to be prone to catch fire.

United Continental Holdings Inc, American Airlines Group Inc and Delta Air Lines Inc did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the FAA advisory.

Vaughn Jennings, a spokesman for Washington-based trade group Airlines for America, said the group was "closely monitoring any developments as this issue evolves.""Each individual carrier makes determinations, in compliance with FAA safety rules and regulations, as to what is permitted to be carried on board and in the cargo hold," Jennings said in a statement.

Australian airlines Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia have banned passengers from using or charging the Galaxy Note 7 during flights over fire concerns.

Although customers will still be able to bring the phones on flights on the Australian carriers, the ban extends to the phones being plugged into flight entertainment systems where USB ports are available.

(Reporting by Eric Beech; Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Eric Walsh and Tom Brown)